Samsung, Reliance chiefs push deeper AI-chip alliance

Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Jae-yong (left) and Reliance Industries Chair Mukesh Ambani (Yonhap/The Korea Herald)

Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Jae-yong met with Mukesh Ambani, chair of India’s Reliance Industries and Asia’s richest business leader, in Seoul on Tuesday to discuss expanding cooperation in future growth sectors, including semiconductors, next-generation telecommunications, AI data centers and batteries, the Korean tech giant said.

During the meeting, Samsung presented Ambani with a full lineup of its latest technologies from AI and extended reality devices to foundry services, data center solutions, next-generation communication systems, advanced displays, cloud platforms, batteries, energy storage systems and engineering capabilities. Ambani also tested Samsung’s Galaxy XR devices and next-gen micro RGB displays.

Reliance, long centered on petrochemicals and retail, has been accelerating its push into information and communications technology. It is currently building the world’s largest AI data center in India, heightening expectations for deeper collaboration with Samsung in semiconductors and next-generation telecom networks.

Lee was accompanied by top executives across Samsung’s core businesses: Samsung Electronics CEO Roh Tae-moon, network business chief Kim Woo-june, Samsung SDI CEO Choi Joo-sun, Samsung SDS CEO Lee June-hee, Samsung Heavy Industries CEO Choi Sung-an, Samsung C&T CEO Oh Se-chul and Samsung E&A CEO Namkoong Hong.

Samsung’s ties with Reliance go back to the era of the late Chair Lee Kun-hee and expanded significantly after a 2012 partnership to build Reliance Jio’s 4G network. The companies renewed their collaboration in 2022 with a 5G wireless access network equipment supply deal, and future cooperation is expected to include 6G equipment, AI data centers and energy storage systems.

Lee and Ambani last met 16 months ago at the wedding of Ambani’s youngest son, Anant. Lee is the only Korean business leader invited to all three of Ambani’s children's weddings, a reflection of their unusually close business and personal ties.

Tuesday’s talks highlight Lee’s broader strategy of using his global network to bolster Samsung’s next-generation businesses. Over the past month, he has met Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in Seoul to discuss AI factory construction, next-generation memory and foundry supply, as well as AI-powered radio access networks. Earlier this month, he also met Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius, while maintaining regular dialogue with Stellantis Chair John Elkann and global pharmaceutical executives to support Samsung’s mobility and bio initiatives.